Angling blade bulldozer with back-action ripper teeth



Nov. 30, 1954 D. E. M LEOD ETAL ANGLING BLADE BULLDOZER WITH BACK-ACTION RIPPER TEETH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 10, 1952 DAV/D E MAclsoo HEN/2 0. FZ/a/s, Iv vslvroes.

Arroe/ve-ys.

Filed March 10, 1952 NOV. 30, 1954 Q E, MaCLEQD ETAL 2,695,468

ANGLING BLADE BULLDOZER WITH BACK-ACTION RIPPER TEETH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllll Arraelvsys.

United States Patent ANGLING BLADE BULLDOZER WITH BACK-ACTION RIPPER TEETH David E. MacLeod, Whittier,

Angeles, Angeles,

and Henry 0. Fuchs, Los Calif., assignors to Preco Incorporated, Los Calif., a corporation of California This invention relates generally to the art of bulldozers equipped with ripping or scarifying equipment, particularly of the back-action type; and an object of the invention is the provision of angling blade bulldozers with fully effective back-action toothed rippers. Other objectives, such as that of effective mounting of toothed rippers to provide the rigid and strong support necessary to withstand the heavy thrusts to which the rippers and mountings are subjected, and other objects and accomplishments, will be understood from the following.

In a common type of angling blade bulldozer, the forward pusher blade is carried at its center to be swingingly adjustable in a generally horizontal plane about a pivot which is carried by the forward end of, for instance, a vertically adjustable U-shaped pusher frame. The rearwardly extending legs of such a frame straddle the frame body of the tractor; their rearward ends being pivoted on a transverse horizontal axis to the tractor frame so that the forward end of the blade carrying frame may be adjustably swung vertically.

Toothed rippers have been mounted on such angling adjustable blades; but such mounting of the teeth, without some further provision, has necessarily meant that back-action teeth will be dragged back through the work at.

an angle to the planes of the teeth when the blade is set at any angle other than normal to the length of the bulldozer. Moved in such a direction the rippers are not fully effective in action and they are subjected to undue lateral and twisting strains which the rippers and their mountings are not usually designed to withstand. One suggested solution of the problem thus posed, at least with reference to forward acting teeth, has been to mount the teeth on the blade in such a manner that the teeth may swing not only in a vertical plane on the mountings, but so that the mountings may also be adjustably swung in a horizontal plane. That solution, however, involves impractical complications in the tooth mountings, and unduly increases the weight of thenecessarily heavy and sturdy mountings.

The present invention solves the problem in a simple and direct manner, with simple and fully adequate tooth mountings of ample sturdiness. How it does so will appear from the following detailed description of the preferred and illustrative design and arrangement is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan showing a typical bulldozer equipped with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan of certain parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of certain parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged sectional elevation on line 44 of Fig. 5, showing a ripper and its mounting;

Fig. 5 is a detached plan of the ripper and mounting shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the same, in the aspect shown by line 66 on Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail in elevation, in the aspect shown by line 77 on Fig. 5. a

In Fig. 1 a bulldozer tractor is shown generally and schematically at 10 with a frame or body 11 carrying tracks 12. A U-shaped pusher frame F, comprising rearwardly extending longitudinal legs 14 and a forward transverse portion 16 straddles the front portion of the tractor in a generally horizontal plane and has the rear ends of its legs pivoted at 18 to the tractor frame 11 on a transverse horizontal axis. The pusher frame may thus be swung in a vertical plane but is rigidly alined with the tractor in the horizontal plane. Means, not shown, are provided for raising and lowering the pusher frame and for holding it and its carried blade at any desired elevation relative to the tractor.

In the illustrative form shown in the drawings, bulldozer blade 20 is pivoted centrally, at a point just behind its rear face, to swing in a horizontal plane, on a pivot 22 .a back action ripper 30 carried centrally by the foremost central part 16a of the transverse forward portion 16 of the U-frarne F. That forward transverse portion is formed preferably with side portions 16b which angle back from the center 16a at substantially just suflicient angle to allow blade 20 to be adjusted to the desired angle. In Fig. 1 the blade is shown in broken lines adjusted for instance to face angularly toward the left. The whole arrangement, including the pivot positioning, is such that the angular transverse portions of the U-frame are located as closely behind the blade as is practicable.

The illustrative means here shown for holding the blade in any of its several positions includes struts 24 and braces 24a pivotally attached to the blade, and three sets of lugs 26 on each side of the U-frame to which the rear ends of struts 24 may be selectively connected.

In each of several locations, say four as indicated A, B, C and D in Fig. l, spaced laterally along the transverse angular frame portions 16b and arranged symmetrically with reference to the longitudinal center line of the frame, is mounted. In such locations on those transverse portions of the 'U-frame, the rippers are located as closely behind the blade as may be. As shown, although not necessarily so, the outermost ripper locations A and D are at the outermost parts of transverse frame portions 16b-at the junctions of those transverse portions with the leg portions 14 of the frame. The teeth and mountings in each of these positions are duplicates, so

that detailed description of one set will serve for all.

In certain aspects of the invention the U-shapedpusher frame here described is intended to be typical of any thrust member or element of the bulldozer which is vertically adjustable but fixed in horizontal alinement with the tractor; on the front end of which the blade is swingingly adjustable to angled position; and which has portions, such as the angled transverse portions 16b of the U-frame that lie closely behind the blade to afford mounting positions for the rippers closely behind the blade.

Each ripper 30 comprises essentially a shank 32 whose normal position is substantially vertical, and a rearwardly inclined tooth 34 which is here shown preferably as removable and renewable. The shank is preferably of rectangular cross-section and is pivotally hung at its upper end on a transverse pivot pin 36 supported in housing H. The pivot pin projects through and is removably mounted in and between two heavy, parallel mounting, housing plates 38 which, located in vertical planes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the U-frame, closely laterally confine the upper pivoted end of the ripper shank. The axis of pivot pin 36 is normal to the planes of plates 38 and the lower edges of the plates are well spaced below the pivot. The plates are staggered, in plan, as shown in Fig. 5, toconform to the angular extent of frame portions 16b; and the upper edges of the plates 38 are welded to the under face of those frame portions.

Welded to and extending between the lower edges of vertical plates 38 is a horizontal abutment plate 40. This housing plate is generally U-shaped in plan, having a 1ongitudinally extending notch 42. That notch extends from the rear edge of plate 40, its opposing sidewall faces 42a are sub stantially flush with the opposed parallel inner faces of vertical side plates 38, and the notch terminates in a rearwardly facing abutment shoulder 44 against which the forward face of the ripper shank bears in normal depending operating position. Plate 40, or its abutment shoulder 44, may be of specially hardened material; as is true also of shank 32. The forward corners of the shank may be chamfered at 46 to fit the rounded corners of the botporting the ripper against the force couple that tends, in action, to rotate it counter-clockwise in Fig. 4, it will be noted that pivot pin 36 is located as close as practicable to the upper end of the ripper shank and to the under faceof-frame portion 16b, and is located'rearward of the vertical center line of the ripper shank so as to leave as much shank stock as maybe between the pivot pin and the shanks forward face 32a, all of which also gives a favorable-angle-of attackjwhich we define as the angle between the horizontal ground surface and a line drawn from the tip of tooth 34 to'the axis of pin 36.

Due to the relatively low location of abutment plate 40, the side faces 42;: of its notch 42, and the opposed inner facesof plates 38, all of which closely confine the ripper shank laterally, the shank is given exceptionally strong support-against any lateral or twistingthrusts to which its toothed end-may be subjected. And further, to support plates 38 and-40 solidly against lateral and/or twisting 'thrusts, heavy gussets'50 are welded, in the positions shownjbetween those pla'tes and the under face of 161); -It -will-be noted, in Figs. and 6, that abutment plate 40 extends laterally beyond the outside faces of -vertical'pl'ates38 so as to allow gussets 50 to have good welded footings on plate "40.

In normal back ripping operation the rippers hang and are solidly supported in the positions shown in Pig. 3. Seeing that, they are-permanently alined, as to their planes of swinging and as-to'the planes in 'which'their teeth projectrearwardly,-inparallelism with the central longitudinal axis ofthe thrust-frameF and'the tractor 10, they are only incidentally subjected to lateral-or twisting thrusts. And that is'so, regardless of the angleat which the blade may besetforforwa'rd blacling "operations. And also to be noted is thefact that'the rippers, mounted on the blade carrying frame as closely as may be behind the blade, arein a position where, projecting aminimumdistance below their'mountings on theframe,-they get an adequate biting depth into the work even when the thrust frame has to belowered to a-forward-inclination and the blade is apt to contact Withthe ground.

'On'forwardblading operations, the rippers drag back to rearwardlyi'n'clined positions, in the manner well known for back-actionrippers. Infthat dragging action, aswell as in back-actionripping, each ripper acts independently of the others.

Meansare provided for holding'any or'all of the several rippers up'and' out of operativep'osition, if that is desired. For *that purpose each ripper mount is'provided with a hanging-up lock. 1 Asstated bove,-= p1vot pin 36 is well spacedfrom the forward face 32a ofjthe ripper shank. The upper end of the shank'hasan'end-surface32b which lies transversely of, preferably at right an'glesto, the length of the shank. A rotatable locking lug60 is mounted on'the inner end of a short-shaft62 that'projects through one-of the plates 38. A handle "64 is mounted onthe outer end of that shaft at the outer face" of plate 38. A spring washer66, between lug'60 andiplate 38 generates sufficient friction to holdthelug andhandlei'n any set'position. Two stop lugs 68 limit and define two 'handlepositions in which locking lug 60 iseither 'in'theposition shown in'full lines in Fig. 4,01" in that shown in broken lines. In'the full llne ,4 V position lug 60 allows the ripper shank to swing back to its rearwardly inclined dragging position. In the broken line position lug 60 will abut the shank end surface 32b after the ripper has been raised to such an inoperative position as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 4, and will releasably hold the ripper in that inoperative position.

To facilitate removal and replacement of rippers, pivot pin 36 (Figs. 5 and 6) is arranged to be easily removable by merely moving it axially. T ohold it in place, the pin has a transversely projecting lug 36a at one end which, with the pin in .place, lies between two spaced lugs 36b welded to-theouterface-of a plate -38. A-cotter keyedpin 36c, inserted through 'holes in lugs 36b outside lug 36a then holds pivot pin 36 in place. The ripper shank then swings on the non=rotating pin.

We claim:

In combination with the thrust element of a bulldozer or the like, a rearwardly acting ripper and a mounting therefoncomprisi'ng a p'air=of laterally=spacedrectangular mounting plates welded along their upper edges to the under face of -the thrust ele'm'ent and depending from that under ":face in vertical planes -parallel -to the longitudinal axis of :the thrust element, a reinforcing and abutment-plate of U shaped plan Weldedto :thelower edges-of the depending plates with the :inner edges :of the legs of the .U formation co-planar with the inner faces of the depending plates and the connecting web portion 'of the U-formation extending between the plates and presenting on :its'inner :edge an abutment'face -which is located nearthe lforward edges of the-depending mounting plates and faces rearwardly,th'e horizontal width of the legs of the U=formationbeingisubstantially greater than the' thickness of the depending plates iso -that the legs project 'outwardly beyond the outer ifaces of ithe (depending ;plates to constitute stiifening' fianges f'orthe lower edges of those plates,..-l'ateral bracing plates iexten'ding laterally from the outerrfaces of the'depending plates and welded tothose plates, to the under face of the thrust elernent and tothe projecting lpor'tions'o'f the legs-ofthe -abutrnent plate, a pivot pin mou'nted in and extending transversely-between thetwo .dependingmounting platesnear theirupperedges, a-ripper lhavingia depending shank and a tooth at its .lower end, the shank-being swingablycarried at itsupper end on :said .pivot pin and closely laterally confined between the inner opposed faces of the :depending mounting plates-and of the. legs of the abutment plate, the forwardifaceof the .dependingishankengaging the rearwardly facing abutment face of the abutment plate.

References "Cited :in the .file .of this patent 

